A Derby bakery which delivers doughnuts to doorsteps across the UK is set to triple production after installing a new piece of equipment costing £250,000.
Project D is installing a doughnut line in its Spondon bakery, known as The Dream Factory, which will enable them to make 300,000 sweet treats a week to help them keep up with demand.
The company is creating room in the bakery for the specialist piece of equipment by adding a 105sqm mezzanine floor which will be used for storage.
READ MORE: Derby Ram set to trail Project D to pop-up events
Overseeing the expansion is new production manager Phil Buckingham who has spent his career in the food manufacturing industry.
Previously employed by a bakery in Oxford supplying Waitrose with fresh patisserie, Phil is ensuring that Project D’s bakery, known as The Dream Factory, is as efficient as possible.
Phil, 57, said: “Ever since I was 18, I’ve worked in food manufacturing, and I have a vast experience of processes. Although the end product is different, my role is to ensure the best possible performance from the bakery and to keep up staff motivation.
“This is a young, vibrant bakery with no shortage of ideas and the skies the limit with this much enthusiasm.
“I am absolutely loving working here – for the first time in my career I’m waking up before the alarm goes off because I’m ready for the day ahead.”
Project D is one of the city’s biggest success stories after pivoting during the pandemic allowed them to start an online delivery process and sell through pop-up kiosks all over the county.
The firm continues to expand and uses its high profile on social media to actively engage with its audience to know which lines are most popular and where Project D needs to be seen.
Strategy director Jacob Watts said: “We have more than 130,000 followers on Instagram and we enjoy listening to what they have to say about our doughnuts and where they think we should be popping-up.
“This is such an exciting time for us. We continue to grow and as we approach Halloween and Christmas we know we are going to be busier than ever.
“Our pop-ups have generally been within the East Midlands, but we intend to widen our reach across the UK and installing the doughnut line will allow us to do this.
“We are currently recruiting bakers, decorators, delivery drivers and events assistants – so there are jobs available in almost every role at The Dream Factory. We’re also looking at new routes to market – we’re hoping to return to the high street before long and we’re opening in various university campuses too.”
